An apparatus for feeding cigarette containers to the hopper loading mechanism of a cigarette packaging-conditioning machine

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for supplying cigarette containers to the loading mechanisms for hoppers of cigarette packaging-conditioning machines. The apparatus supplies containers filled with cigarettes through a storage device so that the operating continuity of the cigarette packagingconditioning machine is assured independently of the operating continuity for the cigarette manufacturing machine associated therewith. The storage device intervenes to ensure maximum operating efficiency for both the cigarette manufacturing machines and for the packaging-conditioning machine by storing the containers of cigarettes produced by the manufacturing machine when a failure occurs in the packaging machine; and, by supplying the stored containers to the packaging machine during proper operation of all of the apparatus and upon failure of the manufacturing machine.

United States Patent Seragnoli 1 July 25, 1972 s41 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING 3,239,085 3/!966 Schmermund ..214/307 3,342,350 9/1967 Seragnoli ..2l4/6.2

CIGARETTE CONTAINERS TO THE HOPPER LOADING MECHANISM OF A Appl. No.: 847,690

Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 6, 1968 Italy ..8422l4 A/68 U.S. Cl ..214/302 Int. Cl. Field of Search ..2l4/300, 302, 307, 6.2

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/ 1964 Seragnoli ..214/6.2 UX

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-John Mannix Attorney-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel .l. Lobato [5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosed herein is an apparatus for supplying Cigarette containers to the loading mechanisms for hoppers of cigarette packaging-conditioning machines. The apparatus supplies containers filled with cigarettes through a storage device so that the operating continuity of the cigarette packaging-conditioning machine is assured independently of the operating continuity for the cigarette manufacturing machine associated therewith. The storage device intervenes to ensure maximum operating efficiency for both the cigarette manufacturing machines and for the packaging-conditioning machine by storing the containers of cigarettes produced by the manufacturing machine when a failure occurs in the packaging machine; and, by supplying the stored containers to the packaging machine during proper operation of all of the apparatus and upon failure of the manufacturing machine.

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AN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CIGARETTE CONTAINERS TO THE HOPPER LOADING MECHANISM OF A CIGARETTE PACKAGING-CONDITIONING MACHINE This invention relates to apparatus for feeding cigarettes to the hoppers of cigarette packaging-conditioning machines, and, more particularly, to apparatus of the type providing such a feed by containers or boxes which have been previously filled with cigarettes and supplied to a so-called hopper loading mechanism for said cigarette packaging-conditioning machines.

As is well known, cigarette packaging-conditioning machines are fed with cigarettes supplied to the associated feed and assembling hoppers by manual, automatic or semiautomatic operations. However, by increasing the unitary operating speed of these packagingconditioning machines, it has been shown to be increasingly necessary to perform this supply function automatically.

At present, automatic feed is provided so as to operate according to the so-called direct feeding, that is, by directly connecting the outlet of the cigarette manufacturing machines to the inlet of the packaging-conditioning machines, that is, to the feeding and assembling hopper thereof, or by supplying cigarettes to said hoppers by containers or boxes which have been previously filled and brought to a station where they are automatically or semi-automatically unloaded into the hoppers.

This invention particularly relates to the latter type of automatic feeding, that is to the type using containers or boxes previously filled with cigarettes, and is concerned with an apparatus for feeding said cigarette containers to the automatic hopper loading mechanisms of the packaging-conditioning machines, independently of operation continuity of the manufacturing machines by drawing, in case of need, said containers from a store or stock wherein these containers are regularly stored when the manufacturing machines are running, while the packaging machine is not or while it is running irregularly running.

Thus, it is known that conventional parallelepiped-shaped containers or boxes, open at a side face or at the upper face, which, as also known, are manually or automatically filled with cigarettes by mechanical and/or pneumatic systems at the outlet of the cigarette manufacturing machines, are at presently transferred to the hopper loading mechanism of the cigarette packaging and conditioning machines, either manually or through the aid of automatically or semiautomatically operating transfer apparatus, without any chances of compensating for the unbalances which may occur between packaging-conditioning machine operation and manufacturing machine operation.

ln the most frequent case of manual feeding, the containers filled with cigarettes are subsequently individually loaded on a frame member rotatable about a horizontal axis, by arranging the same with the open side face thereof against a wall of said frame member. The operator then wraps a flexible material tape, which is usually connected by an end to said frame member, above the open top face of the container thus positioned on the frame member, or arranges a rod, referred to as a bayonet; rotates said frame member about its horizontal axis of rotation overturning the container above the conditioning machine hopper to be supplied, with said face as wrapped by the flexible tape or closed by the bayonet, downwardly facing, removes said tape, or said bayonet, by slipping it out from between the upper level of cigarettes within said hopper and the lower level of cigarettes within the overturned container,

' so as to enable the downward transfer for the latter within said hopper; and finally, when all of the container cigarettes have moved downward within the hopper, rotates said frame member in a direction opposite to the former and removes the empty container therefrom.

By so operating, it occurs that by manually slipping out the flexible tape or bayonet the cigarettes which are more directly involved by the slipping movement of said tape or bayonet are often deviated from the normal position thereof, whereat they are parallel to one another and to the hopper descending channels. In such deviated position they take up a transverse attitude, so as to hamper the descent thereof through said channels, thereby causing substantial drawbacks with frequent prolonged stoppages in production, or discontinuities in the manufacturing machine operation, as well known to those skilled in the art.

Such drawbacks are also and particularly encountered where there occurs a progressive increase in fall or drop distance of the container cigarettes from the cigarette level within the hopper to be fed, resulting from a somewhat slight delay by the operator in the rate of effecting the above feeding operations for the full containers and removal of empty containers; or when, while using a high speed conditioning machine, this cigarette level within said hopper drops very rapidly.

Such drawbacks, deriving from the increase in drop distance for the cigarettes of the containers overturned above the hopper to be loaded, or from the rapid drop of said level resulting from using packaging-conditioning machines operating at a high output speed, have been overcome by by using hopper loading mechanisms for the conditioning machines capable of accomplishing a rapid automatic substitution above the hopper for the empty containers with full containers.

A mechanism of this character substantially provides a rotatable loading head which is located above the hopper to be loaded, and which is shaped so as always to have thereon two containers at an upset mirror-like symmetrical position so that such containers can be disposed alternately in an overturned position for cigarette supply into the hopper, and responsive means for detecting the unloading occurrence of such overturned container and for controlling half a rotation or revolution for said rotatable head to immediately replace the empty container with a full one. The operations for removing the empty container from the rotatable loading head and replacing it with a full container are provided so as to be carried out either manually, or automatically or semiautomatically.

Assuming that by using such a rotatable loading head mechanism the possibility is provided for avoiding the above drawbacks resulting from the dropping of the cigarette level within the hopper to be loaded, it is realized that by continuously increasing the output speed of the packaging and conditioning machine, the problem has risen of assuring the operating continuity for such fast conditioning machines by assuring a continuous cigarette supply.

Thus, by the provision of these fast cigarette packaging-conditioning machines it could be possible to associate two and even three cigarette manufacturing machines with one of these fast conditioning machines, depending on the number of cigarettes intended to form each packet of cigarettes. However, under such operating conditions it will be apparent that the operating continuity for a packaging-conditioning machine is bound to the operating continuity of a plurality of cigarette manufacturing machines and this, as readily perceptible, and above all, as experienced in practice, is not always possible because of stops in these manufacturing machines.

Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of assuring the feed of containers filled with cigarettes to the hopper loading mechanisms of the cigarette packaging conditioning machines through a supply store of containers filled with cigarettes, so that in a cigarette producing system the operating continuity of the cigarette packaging-conditioning machine is assured, independently of the operating continuity for the cigarette manufacturing machines associated therewith.

In an effort to ensure an operating continuity of the cigarette packaging-conditioning machines it has already been proposed to directly connect the wrapping up members of the conditioning machine to the outlet of a plurality of cigarette manufacturing machines and to arrange a store on the connecting line of said machines, or between such machines. If the conditioning machine stops, the store is capable of storing cigarettes as they appear at the outlet of the manufacturing machines, or as gathered in magazines according to a plurality of individual groups, each of which comprises the number of cigarettes intended to form the individual packets to be wrapped up, and even according to a number of these magazines in containers; and, in case of a failure of the manufacturing machine, to supply such stored cigarettes to the conditioning machine directly as said groups to be wrapped up without passing through the usual feeding and grouping hopper of conventional cigarette packaging and conditioning machines.

Although this direct connection feeding approach between the cigarette manufacturing machines and cigarette packaging-conditioning machine would involve a conversion of conventional packaging and conditioning 1 machines, such as removal from such packaging and conditioning machines of the set of members including the cigarette grouping and feeding hopper, the systems are so devised to practically operate only in accordance with certain conditions; that is, when both the manufacturing machines and the conditioning machine are operating there is no intervention by the store (store at a stop), thus limiting the operative performances of the conditioning machine to the delivery rate of the manufacturing machines; when all of the manufacturing machines are idle, the conditioning machine, which is operating, is supplied from the store (store at a feeding condition); and when the conditioning machine is idle, the operating manufacturing machines supply the store (store at a storing condition).

Therefore, a further significant object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus not only capable of assuring the supply of containers filled with cigarettes to the hopper loading mechanisms for the packet cigarette conditioning machines in accordance with the above-mentioned primary object and without any need of changing the structure of the feed portion in conventional conditioning machines, but also capable of causing the store to intervene at any time in the production in accordance with the operating rate both for the conditioning machine (receiving rate or capacity) and for the individual manufacturing machines (delivery rate or capacity), by storing or supplying containers filled with cigarettes, so as to make every machine cycle always entirely usefully at the maximum operating rate, with an obvious substantial increase in the total output.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a feeding apparatus of containers filled with cigarettes to the hopper loading mechanisms for conventional packet cigarette conditioning machines which is capable of providing a substantial operating range in the production system through its supply store, by storing or supplying containers filled with cigarettes in accordance with the receiving and/or delivery capacities, respectively, at any time for the system machines and without any need of occupying space in addition to the ordinary plane surface as already involved by said machines forming said production system.

It is also a further object of the invention to provide in such a feeding apparatus an arrangement for the respective parts, so that the containers filled with cigarettes to be supplied and the empty containers to be filled are transferred from the outlet of the manufacturing machines to said feeding apparatus and, respectively, from the latter to the former, as convenient for an operator. That is such container transfers are performed according to vertically overlapping planes, wherein the containers filled with cigarettes arranged on the lower work plane and the empty containers on the upper work plane, respectively, are at levels deemed to be the most convenient for the performance of manual conveyance movement of articles which are more or less heavy.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a feeding apparatus for attaining all of the above objects through a particularly simple operating structure, which can be readily carried out and is reliable in operation, simple and practical in use, and which is also and above all of a comparatively low cost in view of the performances provided thereby.

These 'and still other objects are all attained, according to the invention, the apparatus disclosed herein for supplying cigarette containers to the hopper loading mechanisms for packet cigarette conditioning machines, these mechanisms comprising an overturning member for receiving and carrying a cigarette container from a receivingand transferring position or station to an unloading position or station for the cigarettes into said hoppers of the conditioning machines, and electro-responsive means for detecting the unloading completion of the unloading container and cyclically controlling the repetition of such operations of said overturning member. The feeding apparatus comprises a first continuous feeding conveyor for carrying successive cigarette containers from a transfer position or station to a station or position for receiving and transferring said overturning member; a second continuous conveyor, or store conveyor, for defining a receiving position and a transfer or feed position between said transfer position from the-first continuous feeding conveyor and said receiving and transferring position for the overturning member; a third continuous conveyor, or unloading conveyor of empty containers, for defining a receiving position of said empty containers from said receiving and transferring position of the overturning member; driving means electrically connected to said electro-sensitive means associated with said overturning member for independently operating said first, second and third conveyor; electro-sensitive means at said transferring position from the first feeding conveyor, electrically interconnected to the electro-connecting means for the conditioning machine operation; and pushing means also connected to said electro-sensitive means associated with the overturning member. The pushing means is for subsequently transferring containers from said transferring position by the first feeding conveyor to the receiving position of the overturning member, or to the receiving and transferring position or feeding position of the second conveyor for storing, depending upon whether the conditioning machine is operating or not, and respectively, with the conditioning machine operating, from this last supply position of the store conveyor to the receiving position of the overturning member in case a container is not present at said transfer or supply position of the feeding conveyor, and again, from said receiving and transferring position of the overturning member to the receiving position of the third unloading conveyor for the empty containers.

Further features and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiment of the feeding apparatus according to the invention, shown by way of non-restrictive example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, schematically showing a cigarette producing system incorporating the feeding apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1, schematically showing the same feeding apparatus, wherein some parts have been removed and sectioned for providing a view other parts;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged views showing again the same feeding apparatus as sectioned along the broken line A-B-C- D-E-F in FIG. 2 and in the direction of arrows III-III and IV-IV, respectively;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 2 showing said feeding apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an electromechanical diagram showing the operating principle for a cigarette manufacturing system incorporating the feeding apparatus according to the above figures;

FIG. 7 is a time-step diagram of the moving parts corresponding to an operating cycle of said feeding apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a still more enlarged front view of a portion of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the detail of FIG. 8 as taken along line IXIX in said FIG. 8.

As above mentioned, FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a cigarette manufacturing system, wherein the cigarette packaging-conditioning machine is a high speed type, such as is capable of taking up the output of three conventional cigarette manufacturing machines.

According to the system arrangement, as shown in FIG. 1, these three cigarette manufacturing machines are in parallel alignment on the right hand side of the drawing. The packaging-conditioning machine is positioned on the left hand side, juxtaposed nearly in alignment with the manufacturing machine which is at a higher level in the drawing, whereas the feeding machine according to the invention is positioned between said manufacturing machines and said packagingconditioning machine, so as to linearly extend from the hopper loading mechanism for the packagingconditioning machine to the end of the manufacturing machine, which in the figure is shown at a lower level.

According to a spiral counterclockwise arrangement, this packaging-conditioning machine is followed by other machines and apparatus for the further processing of the cigarette packets emerging from said packaging-conditioning machine, such as for example an over-wrap by transparent material, usually referred to as packet cellophaning operation; collecting and forming of cellophaned packet bars; collecting and forming of parcels of said bars; etc., for example, according to corresponding machines and apparatus which cornprises the subject-matter of further patents in the same Applicants name and herein not being mentioned as not involving the apparatus of this invention.

In the system arrangement according to FIG. I, the three cigarette manufacturing machines, respectively designated by MC-MC' the packaging conditioning machine MI; and the machines following said packaging machine MI, such as the storing apparatus AAC and the assembly of cellophaning, barring and parcelling machines, designated as a whole by MCSI, as well as the hopper loading mechanism of said packaging machine MI, designated by MCT, are shown by thin lines, whereas the feeding apparatus according to the invention and designated as a whole by AA is shown by thick lines.

The cigarette manufacturing machines, as schematically shown and usually used in such systems as illustrated in FIG. 1, comprise in association therewith a chain conveyor operated by the corresponding manufacturing machine with an intermittent or stepped movement in the direction of the corresponding arrow f and designated as a whole by TMC-TMC' TMC".

Each of these conveyors TMC, TMC', TMC" comprises two chains 1 which are loop coiled, according to respective planes parallel to one another, about corresponding sprocket wheels 2, in pairs keyed on a corresponding shaft 3 carried by fixed bearings 4 and forming part of the base for the corresponding manufacturing machine MC, MC, MC". The two chains of each conveyor TMC, TMC', TMC" are interconnected by cross strips 5, respectively spaced apart along the extent of said chains 1 over a distance which is substantially the same as the horizontal depth of the usual containers used for cigarette transportation in such systems, so as to form between two successive strips a corresponding receiving seating for one of said containers. When said conveyor is conditioned to operate in combination with its associated manufacturing machine, its transport branch will define, as shown hereinafter, at an accurately predetermined position and during the interval of each intermittency or step, two successive lengths operating upstream and downstream, respectively, said position, normally referred to as transfer station and designated by STMC, STM- C', STMC", of the empty containers CV located on the length upstream of said station, to the respective manufacturing machine, and filled containers CP from said manufacturing machine to the conveyor length downstream of the transfer station (see arrow F in FIG. 1).

Conversely, and as above stated, the conditioning machine MI, as shown by way of example, is of the fast operating type, wherein the hopper to be supplied for assembling the cigarettes to be packet conditioned, has a plurality of descending channels.

Referring to FIGS. 25, said feeding apparatus AA comprises a base 6, involving in a vertical cross-section at the operative plane for supplying filled containers CP and discharging empty containers CV, four spans or bays respectively for, as seen from right to left in-FIGS. I, 2 and 5, the horizontal conveyors superimposed on one another for supplying and discharging said filled and empty containers, designated as a whole by TCP and TCV, respectively; a store or supply conveyor TM, which is also horizontal and the function of which will be better understood from the following description; a vertical elevator conveyor TE; and the rotatable head or overturning member TG of said loading mechanism MCT (FIG. I) for the cigarette feeding and assembling hopper TAR of said packaging conditioning machine Ml.

Said conveyors TCP of filled containers CP and TCV of empty containers CV, as superimposed on each other, as well as store or supply conveyor TM, horizontally extend from about said operative plane (FIG. I and 5) to about the end of conveyor TMC" associated with manufacturing machine MC" (FIG. 1), and this in accordance with the storing capacity of store-conveyor TM and the transfer conveniency of filled containers CP and empty containers CV from conveyors TMC, TMC', TMC" of manufacturing machines MC, MC', Me" to conveyor TCP and, respectively, from conveyor TCV to said conveyors TMC, TMC', TMC" of manufacturing machines MC, MC, MC by an operator.

In practice, such an extension for conveyors TCP, TCV and TM, in addition to meeting the above requirements, is deemed, as for store-conveyor TM, suitable for attaining a sufficient system duration (about 30 minutes and more), in case of a total failure in filled container supply, or stoppage, or failure in conditioning machine operation, while remaining within the Sphere of the surface already involved by the system machines and only for a single length of the storing conveyor,

The possibility of operating the system through such a duration is an actual technical exploit in the art of these cigarette producing systems, with apparent substantial practical operative and economical advantages in the particular manufacturing field. Further, the superimposition of the two conveyors TCP and TCV, as to meeting the most convenient transfer operations for the filled and empty containers from between the respective positions is also a substantial economical advantage, providing labor savings and better conditions for the operators of said system.

These conveyors TCP, TCV and TM are of the type comprising pairs of chains interconnected by cross strips, so as to form a plurality of seatings or housings for the filled and empty containers, as above described in connection with conveyors TMC, TMC', TMC" of manufacturing machines MC, MC, MC". For this reason, the members comprising said conveyors TCP, TCV and TM are indicated by the same reference numerals as used for the members comprising the conveyors TMC, TMC', TMC" of manufacturing machines MC, MC, MC", but followed by the distinctive letters of the correspond ing conveyors TCP, TCV and TM.

For a better understanding of the respective functions of said conveyors TCP, TCV and TM, it is pointed out that such conveyors are provided with an intermittent or stepped movement, the first two of which in the direction of the oppositely directed arrows f" and f'", (FIGS. 1 and 4), and the third in the direction of arrow f", or alternately in both directions (FIGS. 1 and 3), as will become more apparent from the following description.

The power drive for conveyors TCP and TCV is carried out as follows: the reducing gear 7, as carried by base 6 (FIG. 5),v

through any known type of safety clutch 8, connected with its driving portion to the drive shaft of said reducing gear 7, transmits its movement to a gear 9 connected to the driven portion of said clutch 8. In turn, this gear 9 (FIG. 4) drives another gear II) which is keyed to shaft 11 and provided at an eccentric position with a pawl 12, as well as a concentric cylindrical surface 13, making up the drive and control elements, respectively, as known, for a radial vane wheel or Geneva wheel 14 which is keyed to shaft 3TCP, fore of the direction of arrow f" of said chain conveyor TCP. A sprocket wheel 15 (FIG. 2) is keyed to the rear shaft 3TCP with respect to the direction of said arrow f", this sprocket wheel 15 driving by chain 16 a sprocket wheel 17 keyed to shaft 18 rotatably carried by base 6 parallel and above said rear shaft 3TCP. To this shaft 18 there is also keyed a gear 19, driving the upper conveyor TCV through another gear 20 which is keyed to the front shaft 3TCV in the direction of arrowj" (FIGS. 4 and 5).

Thus, through said reducing gear 7 and Geneva wheel device, said two conveyors TCP and TCV are powered by stepped for intermittent movements of opposite direction, as indicated by said corresponding arrows f and j'", as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

The intermittency or step reciprocation for the store conveyor TM is provided by a reducing gear 21 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and through a safety clutch 22, similar to clutch 8, the driving portion of which is associated with said reducing gear 21, whereas the corresponding driven portion is associated with a gear 23. This gear 23 meshes with a gear 24 which is idle mounted on its shaft 25 and provided at an eccentric position with a pawl 26, as well as a concentric cylindrical surface 27, making up the drive and control elements, respectively, for a Geneva wheel 28 keyed to one of the front shafts 3TM relative to the direction of arrow f" (FIG. 1) of said stored conveyor TM.

As already mentioned, the third bay or span of base 6 is associated with the vertical elevator conveyor Te, comprising a support plate or element 29 having two superimposed horizontal seatings 30 and 30a which, when said support plate is at the lowermost position of the elevator conveyor, as described hereinafter, are at the level of the upper surfaces of conveyors TCP and TM and, respectively, conveyor TCV and sliding plane 60 of said base 6 at a juxtaposed position to said conveyor TCV, above said store-conveyor TM (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). On its face opposite that having said seatings 30 and 30a, this support plate 29 is provided with a block which is bored and vertically threaded as a female thread, wherein a screw threaded rod 32 is threadably engaged, and is slidably carried at the bottom within a convenient housing in base 6, and at the top by the horizontal arm 33a ofa strip 33 which is secured in any known manner to said base 6, as shown in said FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. To the lower end of said threaded rod 32 there is keyed a pulley 34, on which a drive belt 35 is wound up as well as on a pulley 36 which is keyed to the drive shaft ofa reducing gear 37 (FIG. 3). Said strip 33 is provided with an aperture or slot 33b, extending in the direction of its vertical dimension, wherein a roller 38 is slidably engaged and idly carried by a pin 39 horizontally secured to said female thread block 31 fast with the support plate 29 of the elevator conveyor TE. Thus, the support plate 29 is held vertically guided during its ascending and descending movements imparted thereto by the reducing gear 37 in the direction of arrowf" (FIGS. 2 and 3).

As above mentioned, the fourth span or bay is involved with the rotatable head TG of the loading mechanism MCT for the supplying and assembling hopper TAR of the packet cigarette conditioning machine MI. This rotatable head TG is provided to operate dependent on the loading mechanism MCT, and it will suffice to state that said head TC is rotated through 180 for each machine cycle, as described below, and is supported by its horizontal shaft 40 from base 6 which at this position bears with its portion 61; on the base of the packaging conditioning machine MI.

The rotatable head TG is rotated by the sprocket wheel 41, keyed to said horizontal shaft 40 thereof, and chain 41 which, in turn, is driven by a drive kinematic means, terminating at a continuously rotating shaft, to which a drum cam is keyed, corresponding in the case as shown in the figures of the accompanying drawings to shaft 43 and drum cam 44 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5).

This shaft 43 is continuously rotated through a sprocket wheel 45, keyed thereto, and a chain 46 which is also wound upon sprocket wheel 47 which is keyed to shaft 48 (FIG. 3). This shaft 48 is rotatably carried by support elements on base 6 and derives its continuous rotational movement from the reducing gear 7 for operating the above described conveyors TCP and TCV through the always meshing pair of gears 49 and 50 which are keyed to the drive shaft of said reducing gear 7 and said shaft 48, respectively.

A pusher S and a follower pusher SA (FIG. 2) are respectively supported by base 6 and located in the vertical plane through shaft 40 of the rotatable head TG for the loading mechanism MCT and thus through the median location of the horizontal seatings 30 and 30a of the support plate 29 for the elevator conveyor TE and horizontal sliding plane 60 of base 6, respectively juxtaposed, as shown from left to right in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, for horizontal reciprocation according to laws better defined below in connection with FIG. 7, above conveyors TCP and TM and conveyor TCV, respectively, of said horizontal sliding plane 6a, said horizontal seatings 30 and 30a of the support plate 29 for the elevator conveyor TE, and said rotatable head TG for the loading mechanism MCT.

Pusher S comprises a horizontal threaded rod 51, rotatably but not axially slidably carried by base 6, on which an arm 52 is mounted and provided with a pushing portion 53 and a horizontal pin extension 54, on which a roller 55 is idly mounted and slidably engaged in a guide eye 56 longitudinally in a strip 57 which is horizontally carried by said base 6, so as to enable said arm 52-53 to slide along said threaded rod 51, but not to rotate thereabout. At an end of said threaded rod 51, on the right in FIGS. 2 and 5, there is keyed a pulley 58, about which a drive belt 59 is wound and looped about a second pulley 60 which is keyed to the drive shaft of a reducing gear 61 carried by base 6 (FIG. 4).

Follower pusher SA also comprises a horizontal threaded rod 62 which is also rotatably but not axially slidably carried by base 6 and on which two arms 63 and 64 are threadably mounted, said two arms being interconnected by an element comprising a female thread block 65 at a respective horizontal distance slightly greater than the front dimension of a cigarette container and provided with a pushing and/or following portion 66 and 67, respectively.

This female thread block 65 is fitted with a horizontal pin extension 68, on which a roller 69 is idly mounted and slidably engaged in a guide eye 70 longitudinally in a strip 71 which is horizontally carried by base 6, so as to enable said arms 63-66 and 64-67 to slide along said threaded rod 62, but not to rotate thereabout. At an end of said rod 62, on the right in FIGS. 2 and 5, a pulley 72 is keyed about which a drive belt 73 is wound and looped about a second pulley 74 which is keyed to the drive shaft of a reducing gear 75 carried by base 6 (FIG.

On the drive shaft 11 of gear 10, which drives the conveyors TCP and TCV in a step-wise manner, each step corresponding to a machine cycle wherefore it will be referred to as cyclic shaft of the apparatus, there is keyed a pack of cyclic cams, respectively designated by numerals 76 and to 85, for timing the movements of the above-described moving members at each machine cycle, as better shown below in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7 and from the description of the apparatus operation.

As already shown, said moving members and the relative corresponding movement thereof are as follows:

a. The supply conveyor TCP for the filled containers CP is provided with a unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. The discharging conveyor TCV for the empty containers CV is provided with a unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

c. The supply or store conveyor TM is provided with intermittent movement in both directions (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is provided with an alternate outward and back movement with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of the store conveyor TM.

e. The vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is provided with an alternating outward and back movement with a dwell between outward and return movements.

. The follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is provided with an alternate outward and back movement with an intermediate dwell at the location of vertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. The rotatable head TG of the leading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is provided with a uniform rotational movement through 1 80.

The above feeding apparatus AA, as described in connection with FIGS. 1-5 and coupled in a cigarette producing system in combination with cigarette manufacturing machines MC, MC, MC, and a cigarette packaging conditioning machine M], is subjected to the following operating conditions: (A) (P) when the manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") with conveyor TCP having each of its transport positions occupied, and the conditioning machine Ml are running, in the operation ofthe feeding apparatus AA is such that:

a. The supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

Supply or store conveyor TM is stationary.

Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell at outward movement at the location of store conveyor Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements.

. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of vertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. Rotatable head T6 of the loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is running by uniform rotational movement through 180.

(ll) When the manufacturing machines (MC, MC', MC),

with conveyor TCP with gaps at the transport positions, and

conditioning machine Ml are running, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA is such that:

a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is running by intermittent supply movement (feed and dwell) at each gap.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM.

Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements.

. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in the outward movement at the location of vertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

Rotatable head T of the loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine M1 is running by uniform rotational movement through 180.

(B) U") When the manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are running with conveyor TCP having each position thereof occupied, and conditioning machine MI is stationary, in the operation of the feeding apparatus AA is as follows;

a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency), idling, or stationary in case of a self-contained drive thereof.

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is running by intermittent storing movement with an intermittency (feed and dwell) at each storing.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is operating by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM, or by alternate outward movement to said location of store conveyor TM and back movement.

e. Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is stationary, or running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements, at idling condition.

f. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV, is stationary or idling moving. outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM, or by alternate outward movement to said store conveyor TM location, and-return movement, or is again stationary.

g. Rotatable head T6 of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is stationary.

(ll) When the manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC) are running with conveyor TCP having gaps at transport positions,

and conditioning machine MI is stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA is such that:

a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell) at each intermittency) at idling condition, or is stationary in case of a self-contained drive thereof.

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is stationary.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is stationary, or running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements, at idling condition.

f. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is stationary, or idling running.

g. Rotatable head T0 of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is stationary.

(C) (1) When the manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary, with conveyor TCP having each transport position thereof occupied, and when conditioning machine MI is running the operation of the feeding apparatus AA is such that:

l. a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is stationary.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements in an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM.

e. Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements.

. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in the outward movement at the location of vertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. Rotatable head TG of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is running by uniform rotational movement through 180. This operating condition is the same as that referred to under (A) (1). Or:

2. a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency) or stationary in case of self-contained drive from discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV, and if all of the manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary: I

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

0. Supply or store conveyor TM is running by intermittent supply movement with an intermittency (feed and dwell) at each supply.

(1. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM, or until presence of filled containers CP on conveyor TCP at the station or step preceding the transfer station for said filled containers CP advancing from said intermediate dwell and returning thereto by said conveyor TCP.

e. Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV, is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in the outward movement at the location of vertical elevator TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. Rotatable head Tg of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is running by uniform rotational movement through 180.

This operating condition, without the alternative forms, is the same as that set forth under (A) (ll).

(ll) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC) are stationary, with conveyor TCP having gaps at transport locations, and when conditioning machine Ml is running the operation of the feeding apparatus AA is as follows:

1. a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is stationary.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM.

e. Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled conveyors CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements.

. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in the outward movement at the location of vertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. Rotatable head T6 of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine Ml is running by uniform rotational movement through 180.

This operating condition is the same as that set forth under (A) U") and (C) (l) l Or:

2. a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is running by intermittent supply movement with an intermittency (feed and dwell) at each gap.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM.

e. Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements.

f. Follower Pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location ofvertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. Rotatable head T6 of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine MI is running by uniform rotation movement through This operating condition is the same as that set forth under (A) (ll). Or:

3. a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency), or stationary in the case of a self-contained drive from discharging conveyor TC of empty containers CV and if all of the manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC) are stationary.

b. Discharging conveyor TCV for empty containers CV is running by unidirectional intermittent movement (feed and dwell at each intermittency).

c. Supply or store conveyor TM is running by intermittent supply movement with an intermittency (feed and dwell) at each supply.

d. Pusher S for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of store conveyor TM, or until the presence of filled containers CP on conveyor TCP at the station or step preceding the transfer station of said filled containers C? from said conveyor TCP to advance from said intermediate dwell and to return thereto.

e. Vertical elevator conveyor TE for filled containers CP is running by alternate outward and back movements with a dwell between outward and back movements.

f. Follower pusher SA for filled containers CP and empty containers CV is running by alternate outward and backward movements with an intermediate dwell in outward movement at the location of vertical elevator conveyor TE and a dwell between outward and back movements.

g. Rotatable head T0 of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine M] is running by uniform rotational movement through 180".

This operating condition, without alternative forms, is the same as that mentioned under (A) (ll) and (C) (1") (2).

(D) (1) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are running, with conveyor TCP having each of the transport positions thereof occupied, and when packaging machine Ml stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA running with completed store conveyor TM is as follows;

a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP will be stopped, and, as a result, so also of will manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC).

(ll) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC) are running, with conveyor TCP having gaps at transport positions, and when packaging machine MI is stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA running with completed store conveyor TM is as follows:

a. Supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP will be stopped, and, as a result, so also will manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC).

(E) (1) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC) are stationary, with conveyor TCP having any transport positions thereof occupied, and when packaging machine Ml is running, the operation of the supply apparatus AA running with empty store conveyor TM is such that:

a. The members will operate as under (A) (P) (1) until exhaustion of filled containers CP on conveyor TCP, and then b. The packaging machine MI and conveyor TCP of filled containers CP will Stop.

(11) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary, with conveyor TCP having gaps at transport positions, and when packaging machine MI running the operation of the feeding apparatus AA running with empty store conveyor TM is as follows:

(a) The members will operate as under (A) (1) and (C) (1) (1) omitting the gap cycles, and also during a slowing down of the speed of packaging machine MI and until exhaustion of filled containers C? on conveyor TCP, and then;

b. The packaging machine M1 and conveyor TCP for filled containers CP will stop.

(F) (1) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary, with conveyor TCP having each of the transport positions thereof occupied, and when packaging machine Ml is stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA running with the store conveyor TM under storing conditions is as follows:

a. The members operate as under (B) (1) to completion of store conveyor TM, and then b. The supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP stops as under (D) (1) (a).

(11) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary, with conveyor TCP having gaps at transport positions, and when packaging machine Ml is stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA running with the store conveyor TM under storing conditions is such that:

a. The members operate as under (B) (1) and (B) (11) until completion of store conveyor TM, and then b. The supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP stops as under (D) (1) (a) and (F) (1) (b).

(G) (1) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary, with conveyor TCP having each of transport positions thereof occupied, and when packaging machine MI is stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA with completed store conveyor TM is such that:

a. The supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP stops as under (D) (1) (a).

(11) When manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") are stationary, with conveyor TCP having gaps at transport positions, and when packaging machine MI is stationary, the operation of the feeding apparatus AA with completed store conveyor TM is such that:

a. The supply conveyor TCP for filled containers CP stops as under (D) (11) (a).

As mentioned above, FIG. 6 shows by way of example one of the possible electromechanical diagrams for carrying out the above operating conditions for the feeding apparatus AA connected in a cigarette producing system, such as according to FIG. I, and exemplarily practiced as above described in connection with FIGS. 2-5, whereas FIG. 7 shows a time-step diagram of the moving parts corresponding to an operative cycle for said feeding apparatus AA and relative to said exemplary electromechanical diagram in FIG. 6.

This electromechanical diagram shows the reducing gear 7 for actuating conveyors TCP for filled containers CP and conveyors TCV for empty containers CV; reducing gear 21 for actuating store conveyor TM; reducing gears 37, 61 and 75 for actuating vertical elevator conveyor TE, pusher S and follower pusher SA, respectively; a remote control switch TLl coupled to reducing gear; a pair of remote control switches coupled to each of reducing gears 21, 37, 61 and 75, and designated by TLZ-TL3, TL4-TL5, TL6-TL7 and TL8-TL9, respectively; electrical transformers T and T1 having a 24-volt output for supplying said remote control switches; a pushbutton board P comprising two contacts P1 and P2 which are, respectively, normally open for manually starting the apparatus and normally closed for manually stopping it; a set of three limit microswitches M, M1, M2. a set of two limit microswitches M3-M4 and a further set of three limit microswitches M5, M6, M7 associated with pusher S. vertical elevator conveyor TE and follower pusher SA, respectively, and not arranged as shown in FIGS. 2-5, but so as to be operated by said pusher S, vertical elevator conveyor TE and follower pusher SA at the end of respective path lengths, as seen from the diagram shown in FIG. 7; a set microswitches respectively designated by reference characters M8-Ml7 and associated with cyclic timing switches 76-85, wherein the switch, which is associated with cam 76 has three contacts C1, C2, C3 and the other have only one contact C; a sensor SS having two contacts C4, C5, which are respectively normally open and normally closed, not arranged as shown in said FIGS. 1-5 in the transfer station ST (FIGS. 1 and 5) for filled containers CF to be supplied by conveyor TCP; and two sensors SS] and SS2 not arranged as shown in said FIGS. 1-5 at the position of store conveyor TM preceding that of said transfer line for filled containers CP, and respectively at the last storing position of said store conveyor TM; which for the purpose of clearness are designated by the only reference characters of these sensors SS1 and SS2, which have two contacts C6, C7 closed by a container being at the position, and respectively two contacts C8 and C9, normally closed, and open on completion of store conveyor TM, or by a container CP at this last storing position.

The remote control switch TLI coupled to reducing gear 7 has four movable contacts l-2-3-4 and associated fixed contacts 5-6-7-8, normally open, of which the pair of contacts l-5 are self-exciting, while the remote control switches from TL2 to TL9 coupled to reducing gears 21, 37, 61 and 75 have five movable contacts l-23-45 and associated fixed contacts 6-7-89-l0, of which the pair of contacts l-6 are normally closed and the pairs of contacts 2-10 are respectively normally open, the pair of contacts 2-7 being self-exciting contacts for the respective remote control switch.

This electromechanical diagram also shows those parts of packaging machine MI and loading mechanism MCT for cigarette assembling and supplying TAR of said packaging machine MI which are effective in operating the feeding apparatus AA of the invention, and more particularly said hopper TAR, remote control switch TLIO and operation conditioning unit G, and not for said packaging machine MI, and schematically the rotatable head T6 for said loading mechanism MCT; said remote control switch TLIO being schematically shown with its only two parts herein involved, that is with four movable contacts l-2-3-4 and associated fixed contacts 5-6-7-8, of which the pairs of contacts l-5 and 3-7 are closed and the pairs of contacts 2-6 and 4-8 are open when it is energized and packaging machine MI is running, the pair of contacts l-5 being self-exciting contacts for said remote control switch.

There is also shown for the loading mechanism MCT, in combination with said rotatable head TG, below thereto and above the upper edge of hopper TAR, a sensitive unit comprising a lamp 86 which has a projection device for a light beam 87 to a photocell 88, so arranged as to be struck by a light beam 87 when the cigarettes supplied to said hopper TAR have dropped to a level lower than that of said light beam 87. This sensitive unit further comprises an amplifying device 89, a microcontact 90 of which is shown and movable from a closed position l-2 to an open position l-3. This amplifying device 89 is coupled to a microswitch 91 having two contacts l-2, respectively movable from a closed position l-3 and 2-5 to an open position I4 and 2-6. In turn, this microswitch 91 is coupled to a member 92 suitable for presetting and excluding the operation of loading mechanism MCT, and particularly rotatable head TO, by its convenient manual positioning.

FIG. 7 shows the time-step diagram for the moving parts corresponding to an operative cycle of supply apparatus AA relative to the electric operating diagram exemplarily shown in FIG. 6 and corresponding to a 360 rotation of drive shaft 11 of gear 10 for stepwise driving of conveyors TCP and TCV. In the case where Geneva wheel 14 drives said conveyors TCP and TCV, and Geneva wheel 28 drives store conveyor TM, the

line above the base line of the relative diagram will indicates the time at which said Geneva wheels are operating, or the time taken by said conveyors TCP, TCV and TM to move through a step, while for reducing gears 61, 37, 75 for operating pusher S, vertical elevator conveyor TE and follower pusher SA, the slanting line indicates the operating time for said reducing gears and correspondingly the movement time for said pusher S, vertical elevator conveyor TE and follower pusher SA; and the line parallel to the base of the respective diagram indicates the dwell time for said reducing gears and hence of said pusher S, vertical elevator conveyor TE and follower pusher SA, at the position being reached.

In the diagram concerning Geneva wheel 28 for operating store conveyor TM, said line above the base line indicates the time for its movement relatively to the feed of said store conveyor during the supply step, while the dash-dot line below the base line indicates the time for its movement relatively to reverse direction feed of store conveyor TM at the storing step.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the mechanical passage from one to another step of movement for store conveyor TM, or the supply step and storing step, respectively, whereas the respective coupling to the corresponding condition of apparatus AA may be seen from the electrical operating diagram of FIG. 6, as explained below. Thus, from said FIGS. 8 and 9 it will be seen that gear 24 which, as above seen is driven for operating Geneva wheel 28, has its pawls 26 and 26a angularly positioned according to the diagram line in FIG. 7 relatively to movements of store conveyor TM and, as it will be seen below, movable to be brought from an inoperative position to an operative position for operating Geneva wheel 28 according to said diagram and system operating conditions, as described below. Cylindrical surface 27 which is designed, as known, to cooperate with Geneva wheel 28 in a Geneva wheel drive device, is provided in accordance with the arrangement ofsaid pawls 26 and 26a, having a common portion 27 fixed to gear 24, with a portion 270 integrally movable with pawl 26 and a portion 27b integrally movable with pawl 26a. For this purpose (FIG. 9), a disc 93 is keyed to and axially slides on shaft 25, to which gear 24 is keyed, and pawls 26 and cylindrical surface portion 27a are fast with said disc 93 and engaged in apertures 94 and 95, respectively, formed in gear 24 and normally at a retracted inoperative position, relative to that in FIG. 9, due to resisting action of springs 96 interposed between said disc 93 and gear 24. A system of rods 97 terminates at said disc 93, which rods are slidably guided into base 6 and connected to the disc so as to allow the rotational movement of the latter, but not a translational movement relative thereto in the direction of shaft 25. The armature of an electromagnet E carried by base 6 is pivoted at 98 to said rods 97 so as to cause, upon energization of said electromagnet E as better seen below, said rods 97 and disc 93 to slide on said shaft thereof bringing pawl 26 and corresponding cylindrical surface portion 270 to an operative position with Geneva wheel 28. A second disc 99 is further keyed to this shaft 25 in a slidable manner. Pawl 26a and cylindrical surface portion 27b are fast with this second disc 99 and engaged, respectively, in openings 100-101, 102-103 and 104-105 in a disc 106, which is keyed to said shaft 25, in disc 93 and gear 24, and normally, as shown in FIG. 9, at a retracted position of nonoperation due to the resisting action of springs 107 interposed between said disc 99 and said disc 106. A system of rods 108 terminates at said disc 99, which rods 108 are slidably guided into base 6 and connected to the disc so as to enable the latter to rotate, but not to move relative thereto in the direction of shaft 25. The armature of an electromagnet E1 carried by base 6 is pivoted at 109 to said rods 108 so as to cause upon energization of said electromagnet E1, as seen below, said rods 108 and disc 99 to slide on said shaft 25 thereof, bringing pawl 26a and corresponding cylindrical surface portion 27b to an operative position with Geneva wheel 28.

In said diagram shown in FIG. 7, the line above the neutral line as shown by a thinner line is, the closing time for the associated microswitches of cyclic cams 76-85, whereas the line below said neutral line is the opening time for said associated microswitches.

The operation of the above described feeding apparatus is as follows:

The cigarette-filled containers CP are led, either by hand or any known conveyor device not shown in the appended drawings, on conveyor TCP so that the bottom thereof will rest within the seating provided by two successive cross steps 5 of said conveyor TCP, the open front face thereof facing the feeding direction of said conveyor TCP according to arrow f" (see figures).

The feeding apparatus is then set for automatic cyclic operation (FIG. 6) by acting upon presetting member 92 so as to bring the contacts of microswitch 91 to closed position I-3 and 2-5.

Assuming the conditions described above as (A) (1), that with manufacturing machines (MC, MC, MC") running, with conveyor TCP having all of its positions occupied, excepted that designated as transfer station ST, and with packaging machine Ml also running, so that remote control switch TL10 is energized with its contacts 1 and 3 at the respective closed position [-5 and 3-7 and contacts 2 and 4 open; the pushbutton microswitch P1 is then operated, bringing the contact thereof to closed position l-2. Thus, through said closed microswitch P1, remote control switch TLl is energized, thus closing its contacts and remaining self-excited .with closed contact l-5 through contact C1 closed at 1-2 of microswitch M8 associated with limit cycle cam 76 and microswitch P2 with normally closed contact at l-2 for manually stopping said apparatus. By closing contacts 2-6, 3-and 4-8 of remote control switch TLl, reducing gear 7 is started and through gear 9 rotates gear 10 and its respective shaft 11 through one revolution, said shaft 11 carrying in addition to cyclic cams 77-85 also said cyclic cam 76 which, therefore, at each revolution of said shaft 11 will open said self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TLl, releasing it and opening its contacts and stopping said reducing gear 7.

Thus, by its operating pawl, 12, the rotation of gear 10 provides for an angular excursion of Geneva wheel 14 and keying shaft STCP thereof and, accordingly, a release or step of conveyor TCP carrying the first container CP thereon to transfer station ST at position CP-A (FIGS. 1 and 5), wherein sensor SS is located, thus opening contact C5 and closing contact C4 of said sensor SS at position l-3.

During the rotation of its cycle revolution, said shaft 11 rotates all of said cyclic cams, the cyclic timing angular position of which can be seen from the diagram shown in FIG. 7. Thus, in addition to the angular excursion of Geneva wheel 14 and thus the above mentioned feed step of conveyor TCP, by closing l-2 of contact C of microswitch M10 as accomplished by cyclic cam 78, the energization will occur for remote control switch TL6 through normally closed safety contact l-6 of remote control switch TL7, this remote control switch TL6 remaining self-excited through its so closed contact 2-7 and normally closed limit rnicroswitches M, M1. By closing of contacts 3-8, 4-9 and 5-10 of remote control switch TL6, reducing gear 61 is started, causing, through drive 58, 59, 60, threaded rod 51 to rotate and accordingly said arm 52-53 of pusher S to move thereon, carrying the filled cigarette container from position CP-A to transfer position CP-B on stationary store conveyor TM.

At the time said container reaches said position CP-B, in a manner not shown in the drawings, limit microswitch M is abutted by moving parts forming said pusher S, such as arm 52-53. On opening its contact, this limit microswitch M breaks the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL6 which, by opening in turn its contacts, will stop reducing gear 61 and hence the movement of arm 52-53 of pusher 8. After some dwell of arm 52-53 of pusher S (FIG. 7), the second lobe of said cyclic cam 78 again closes the exciting circuit of remote control switch TL6 which, self-excited as above set forth, starts againsaid reducing gear 61 causing arm 52-53 of pusher S to move again, thereby transferring the container from position CP-B on store conveyor TM to position CP-C in the lower seating 30 of support plate 29 for vertical elevator conveyor TE, which is at its lowered position. At the time the container reaches said position CP-C, as above mentioned, the limit microswitch M1 is abutted, by opening its contact this limit microswitch breaking again the self-exciting circuit for remote control switch TL6, stopping arm 52-53 of pusher S which, having completed its function, returns then to its starting position. This is accomplished through cyclic cam 79 which, by closing at position 1-2 the contact C of its associated microswitch M11, through closed safety contact 1-6 of now de-energized remote control switch TL6, will as above set forth excite remote control switch TL7, the latter remaining self-excited through its so closed contact 2-7, and limit microswitch M2, which is normally closed. By closing of contacts 3-8, 4-9 and 5-10 of remote control switch TL7, reducing gear 61 is started with a reverse direction of rotation to the former and thus pushers S is returned to its starting or original position, stopping thereat because of its abutment with said limit microswitch M2 which, by opening its contact, breaks the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL7.

In the meantime (see also the respective diagram in FIG. 7), the follower pusher SA is moved to reach the position shown by thin dash-dotted line in FIG. 2, so as to accommodate between its arms 63-66 and 64-67 said container which, as seen hereinafter, is carried from position CP-C to position CP- D. The movement of said follower pusher SA occurs on closing l-2 of contact C of microswitch M14 by cyclic cam 82 energizing remote control switch TL8 through the position l-6 of the normally closed contact of de-energized remote control switch TL9. This energized remote control switch TL8 remains self-excited through closing of contacts 27 of its selfexciting contact and normally closed limit microswitches M5, M6. Closing of contacts 3-8, 4-9 and 5-10 of remote control switch TL8 provides for starting of reducing gear 75 which, through drive 72, 73, 74 causes threaded rod 62 to rotate and, accordingly, the arms 63-66 and 64-67 of said follower pusher SA to move thereon to said position where the container is lifted between said arms 63-66 and 64-67 thereof. This position being attained, said arms 63-66 and 64-67 will much in the same manner as above described for the stopping of arm 52-53 of pusher S abut the limit microswitch M5 which, by opening its contact, breaks the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL8, which in turn, on releasing, opens its contacts stopping said reducing gear 75 and thus stopping the movement of arms 63-66 and 64-67 at this positron.

When the container has arrived at the position CP-C on vertical elevator conveyor TE, by the cyclic cam 80 closing at position l-2 the contact C of its associated microswitch M12 and through the normally closed safety contact l-6 of remote control switch TL5, remote control switch TL4 is excited and remains self-excited through its so closed contact 2-7 and limit microswitch M3. By closing of contacts 3-8, 4-9 and 5- of remote control switch TL4, reducing gear 37 is started which, through drive 34, 35, 36, causes threaded rod 32 to rotate and, accordingly, the support plate 29 of vertical elevator conveyor TE to move upwardly thereon, carrying the container from position CP-C to said position CP-D at the level of rotatable head T0 of loading mechanism MCT and between arms 63-66 and 64-67 of said follower pusher S. At the time the container reaches said position CP-D, in much the same manner as previously described for stopping arm 52-53 of pusher S and those of follower pusher SA, limit microswitch M3 is abutted by a moving portion of vertical elevator conveyor TE, which limit microswitch M3, on opening its contact, will break the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL4 which, on releasing, opens its contacts, thereby stopping said reducing gear 37 and thus stopping the upward movement of support plate 29 of said vertical elevator conveyor TE with said container at this attained position CP-D.

By the second lobe of cyclic cam 82, contact C of microswitch M14 is now closed again at l-2, re-energizing and self-exciting again said remote control switch TL8, as previously set forth, so as to restart said reducing gear 75 and, accordingly, to move again in the same direction as before the arms 63-66 and 64-67 of follower pusher SA, thus carrying the container from the position CP-D on vertical elevator conveyor TE to position CP-E on rotatable head T6 of loading mechanism MCT (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). This position being attained, arms 63-66 and 64-67 of follower pusher SA abut limit microswitch M6 which, by opening its contact, breaks the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL8 which, on releasing, opens its contacts stopping said reducing gear 75 and thus the movement of said arms 63-66 and 64-67 at this attained position. Thereafter (FIG. 7) support plate 29 of vertical elevator conveyor TE is brought back to its bottom starting position for the next cycle.

This occurs upon energization of remote control switch TLS by the closing l-2 of contact C, of microswitch M13 by means of cyclic cam 81 and through closed safety contact l-6 of the now de-energized remote control switch TL4, and through the resulting self-excitation through its contact 2-7 and limit microswitch M4. By closing of contacts 3-8, 4-9 and 5-l 0 of remote control switch TL5, the reducing gear 37 is started by a reverse direction of rotation to the former and, accordingly, support plate 29 is downwardly moved, bringing its seating 30a to the level previously attained by seating 30, that is at the level of rotatable head TG, sliding plane 6a being above store conveyor TM and conveyor TCV being above conveyor TCP. Microswitch M4 is now abutted and, by opening its contact, breaks the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TLS, stopping said reducing gear 37 and thus stopping support plate 29 at this lower position.

Assume now that on rotatable head T0 of loading mechanism MCT there is at position CP-F (FIG. 3) a container unloading cigarettes within supplying and assembling hopper TAR for packaging machine M1, and that this packaging machine M] is running and taking up cigarettes, successively moving down therefore from the container into said hopper TAR and breaking the light beam 87. When such unloading from the container at this position CP-F has been completed, or when no more cigarettes pass in front of light beam 87 emitted from source 86 and, accordingly, the cigarette level within hopper TAR has dropped below the level of the light beam joining this light source 86 with photocell 88, in-phase with cyclic cam 77 which at each cycle end closes contact C at l-2 of its associated microswitch M9, and cyclic cam 76 at each cycle end opening and immediately closing again at l-2, 3-4 and 5-6 the contacts C1-C2-C3 of its associated microswitch M8, the remote control switch TLl is energized again through said contact C closed at l-2 of microswitch M9, through contact C6 closed at l-2 of sensor SS1, through said microcontact 90 closed at l-2 and through microswitch P2 normally closed at l-2, for manually stopping the apparatus. This stopping is due to the automatic operation presetting being attained, as above set forth, by member 92 and thus the closing l-2 of microswitch 90 for amplifier 89.

As above shown, this remote control switch TLl then remains self-excited and reducing gear 7 is then started again for a new cycle. As a result, shaft 48 is also operated and, in accordance with the above-mentioned Italian Pat. No. 779,386 in the same Applicants name, causes said rotatable head T6 to rotate through carrying the container from unloading position CP-F, or hereinafter referred to as container emptying position CV-F, to position CP-E and thus CV- E, between arms 63-66 and 64-67 here in dwell of follower pusher SA, and filled container which, as above set forth, has reached position CP-E from said position CP-E to said unloading position CV-E.

Arms 63-66 and 64-67 of follower pusher SA are then returned to the original position thereof to carry the empty container from said position CV-E on the rotatable head TO to the position CV-G on conveyor TCV in moving in the reverse direction relative to conveyor TCP, as set forth hereinabove, passing by the upper seating 30a of lowered support plate 29 of elevator conveyor TE and sliding plane 60 overlying store conveyor TM. This occurs upon energization of remote control switch TL9 by closing 1-2 of contact C of microswitch M15, by means of cyclic cam 83, and through closed safety contact l-6 of the now de-energized remote control switch TL8 due to contact 2-7 and limit microswitch M7. By closing contacts 3-8, 4-9, and 5-10 of remote control switch TL9, reducing gear 75 is started rotating in a reverse direction to the former and, accordingly, said arms 63-66 and 64-67 of follower pusher SA are moved to said original position where, upon reaching it, they abut limit microswitch M7 which, by opening its contact, breaks the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL9 which, on releasing, removes the supply to reducing gear 75, stopping it as well as stopping themselves.

Following the above description, it is deemed useful to specify that the diagram in FIG. 7 shows the time step relationship for moving members as repeated at each machine cycle without taking into account the corresponding initial location, that is cycle phasing within the 360 rotation ofshaft 11 which is considered as basic rotation for said cycle. Since, as just seen, each cycle is automatically started at each unloading ofa container into hopper TAR of packaging machine Ml with a resulting re-energization of light beam 87, it is apparent that a cycle will start at any time, that is from the position indicated in said diagram at 200, which therefore can be referred to as cycle start position, or 0 position of said cycle.

As above stated, when remote control switch TLl is energized, a new cycle is started, so that, in accordance with the corresponding above-cited operating condition (A) (1) and corresponding step of conveyor TCP, a container CP is carried to position CP-A and then to the successive positions and finally to position CV-G on conveyor TCV for unloading the empty containers, as just described.

In summary, in the normal cycle of operation of the system, an empty container CV is carried by the rotatable head TG from position CV-F in FIG. 3 to the position CV-E whereupon it is moved by pusher element SA to position CV-C where it is deposited on conveyor TCV. The empty container is then carried by the conveyor TCV to one of the respective manufacturing machines MC, MC, MC", along the path j", whereupon the empty container moves along the pathf" "(CV) from the upper conveyor TCV to the manufacturing machine for loading, and the just filled container moves back along the path f'(CP) to the lower conveyer TCP, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The conveyor TCP then carries the filled conveyor CF to the position CP-A along the path f", whereupon pusher element S sequentially moves the filled container through position CP-B on conveyor TM and into position CP- C on the elevator conveyor TE. The filled container CP is then elevated to position CP-D and into the arms of pusher element SA, which then moves the filled container to the position CP- E where it is received by the rotatable head T6 for emptying the contents of the container CP into the hopper TAR, thus completing the cycle.

When the manufacturing machines cease to supply filled containers to the conveyor TCP, so that position CP-A is not occupied, then storage conveyor TM is caused to advance automatically in the direction 1" toward the packaging machine M1, whereupon a filled container is moved from conveyor TM at position CP-B onto conveyor TE by pusher element S, so that the packaging machine M1 continues to receive filled containers. Then, if the packaging machine MI ceases to operate, the conveyor TM automatically reverses its direction along the path j away from the packaging machine M1 so that filled containers arriving at position CP-B are retained on the conveyor TM. The details of such operation are as follows.

If the resulting step of conveyor TCP does not carry containers to said position CP-A, or if container gaps appear on said conveyor, as contemplated by the above mentioned operating condition under (A) (11), the supply of a filled container to rotatable head T0 of loading mechanism MCT for hopper TAR of packaging machine M1, is also assured by withdrawing the container from store conveyor TM. Thus, a lack of container at position CP-A causes contact C5 of sensor SS to be held closed at its position 2-4 so that, at the time cyclic cam 84 closes at 1-2 the contact C of its associated microswitch M16, remote control switch TL2 is energized through said closed contact C of microswitch M16, this contact C5 being closed at 2-4, through closed contact 3-7 of remote control switch TL10, which is energized due to operation of packaging machine M1 and through closed safety contact 1-6 of remote control switch TL3. Thus, said remote control switch TL2 remains self-excited through its so closed contact 2-7 and closed contact C3 at 5-6 of microswitch M8 associated with cyclic cam 76. By means of excitation and selfexcitation of remote control switch TL2 and thus by closure of its contacts 3-9, 4-9 and 5-10, reducing gear 21 is started, thus causing store conveyor TM to move over a step, carrying the first container stored thereon to position CP-B in line with transfer station ST on conveyor TCP and with the lower seating 30 of support plate 29 of vertical elevator conveyor TE, and thus in line with positions CP-A and CP-C. This movement or step of store conveyor TM occurs as a result of energization of electromagnet E, which is series connected in the self-exciting circuit of said remote control switch TL2. Thus, energization of said electromagnet E (FIG. 9) moves pawl 26 and the associated portion of cylindrical surface 270 to an operative position with Geneva wheel 28, the latter being keyed to shaft 3TM of said store conveyor TM. During the cycle, the container is then gradually carried from position CP-B to the next positions much in the same manner as previously described in connection with operating condition (A) (1). 1f non-transportation of containers CP at position CP-A continues in the next cycles, the just described cycle of withdrawing containers from store conveyor TM will be repeated, according to operating condition (A) (11), whereas when a container reaches said position CP-A, the above-mentioned cycle (A) (1) will be repeated.

Assume now that packaging machine M1 stops and the operating conditions are those referred to under (B) (1), wherein containers from conveyor TCP are stored on the store conveyor TM: Upon stopping of packaging machine Ml, remote control switch TL10 releases, opening its contacts 1-5 and 3-7, and closing its contacts 2-6 and 4-8.

Thus the automatic cycle repetition, or energization and self-excitation of remote control switch TLl and, as a result, the start of reducing gear 7 and resulting feed or step of conveyor TCP, instead of occurring by means of light beam 87 and through the resulting closure of microcontact of amplifier 89, is assured through closed contact 4-8 of said de-energized remote control switch TL10 and contact C8 of completed store sensor SS2, at closed position l-3, as said store is capable of storing. Therefore, when a container on conveyor TCP reaches the position CP-A, the contact C5 of sensor SS opens and contact C4 closes so that, at the time cyclic cam 85 closes at l-2 contact C of its associated microswitch M17, the remote control switch TL3 is energized through closed contact 1-6 of the now deenergized remote control switch TL2, through contact C9 of sensor SS2 closed at 2-4, through said contact C of microswitch M17 closed at 1-2, through contact C4 of said sensor SS closed at 1-3, through the contact closed at 2- 60f deenergized remote control switch TL10 of stationary packaging machine Ml. Then, this remote control switch TL3 remains self-excited through closure 2-7 of its self-exciting contact and closure at 3-4 of contact C2 of microswitch M8 associated with cyclic cam 76. Through excitation and self-excitation of remote control switch TL3 the contacts 3-8, 4-9 and 5-10 thereof are closed, and thus the reducing gear 21 is started in the opposite direction. In the meantime, see FIG. 7, pusher S moves the container from position CP-A on conveyor TCP to position CP-B on store conveyor TM and hence, through the starting of reducing gear 21 as just mentioned, said store conveyor TM is rearwardly moved through a step, as described hereinafter. In the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TL3, as just shown, the series connected electromagnet E1 which, being thus energized, moves pawl 26a and cylindrical surface portion 27b associated therewith to an operative position with Geneva wheel 28 (FIG. 9) which is keyed to shaft 3TM of said store conveyor TM, so as to provide for said rearward movement of conveyor TM.

The repetition of this cycle continues until said operating condition (B) (l) exists where, due to absence of a container or conveyor TCP, the operating condition should occur as provided under (B) (ll), that is presence of gaps on said conveyor TCP, so that the cycle is repeated, while leaving said store conveyor TM stationary. Thus, the absence of a container at position CP-A will leave contact C4 of sensor SS open, whereby the excitation of remote control switch TL3, as above seen, cannot occur.

The operating conditions referred to under (C), (D), (E), (F), (G) are all met by the apparatus operation according to the above described conditions (A) (1), (A) (ll), (B) (1), (B) (ll), except for the conditions of completed and respectively empty store conveyor TM, as set forth under (D) and (E).

The case contemplated by (D), that is completed store conveyor TM, means that packaging machine Ml is stationary and that, as above set forth, container CP at the last rear position of said store conveyor TM has opened the contacts C8 and C9 of sensor SS2, whereby excitation cannot occur for remote control switch TLl which accordingly provides for maintaining conveyor TCP and cyclic shaft 11 stationary. On the other hand, in the case according to (E), or empty store conveyor TM, it means that conveyor TCP is also empty and that because of there is no container at sensor SS1, the contact C7 of the latter is open, whereby it being series connected with other sensors, schematically assembled in unit G of packaging machine Ml, in the self-exciting circuit of remote control switch TLlO, it will cause said remote control switch TLlO to release and then stop said packaging machine by opening its self-exciting contacts l5.

.A capacitor CN is parallel connected to the circuit of said contact C7 of sensor SS1, the capacitance of this capacitor CN being such as to maintain at an active condition the same electrical circuit, to which said contact C7 is connected, for a time at least equal to that required for carrying out the feed of a corresponding intermittency, or step, of store conveyor TM and this, obviously, in order to avoid any disturbance to the operational regularity of packaging machine Ml.

In practice it was found that the feeding apparatus according to the invention perfectly attains all of the above-described objects. Thus, by using all of the operative cycles of packaging machine MI and supply conveyor TCP with such an apparatus, the output continuity can be assured for said packaging machine and a substantial duration can be conferred to a cigarette producing system both for said packaging machine and manufacturing machines, independently of the operational continuity of the individual machines.

The invention may be subjected to many modifications and changes provided by technically equivalent elements, which, however, fall within the covering field of the appended claims.

WHAT lS CLAIMED IS:

1. An apparatus for supplying cigarette containers to the loading mechanism for hoppers of cigarette packaging-conditioning machines said mechanism comprising an overturning member including means for repeatedly receiving and carrying a cigarette container from a receiving and transferring position thereof to a cigarette unloading position at said hoppers to unload said cigarettes into said hoppers, and electrosensitive means for detecting the end of an unloading operation and for cyclically controlling the repetition of said operations of said overturning member, said electro-sensitive means including a first continuous supply conveyor for successively carrying cigarette containers from a transfer position thereof to said receiving and transfer position of said overturning member, a second continuous conveyor defining a receiving and supply position between said transfer position from the first continuous supply conveyor and said receiving and transfer position of the overturning member, a third continuous conveyor for empty containers defining a receiving position of said empty containers from said receiving and transfer position of the overturning member, motor means electrically connected to said electrosensitive means associated with said overtuming member for independently operating said first, second and third conveyors, and pusher means also connected to said electro-sensitive means associated with the overturning member for successively transferring containers from said transfer position of the first supply conveyor to the receiving position of the overturning member when the conditioning machine is running, and to the receiving and supply position of the second conveyor for storing when the conditioning machine is not running, and respectively, with the conditioning machine running, from the supply position of said second conveyor to the receiving position of said overturning member, in a case where there are no containers at said transfer position of said first conveyor, and from said receiving and transfer position of the overturning member to the receiving position of the third conveyor for unloading the empty containers.

2. A supply apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a fourth conveyor located between the transfer position from the first supply conveyor and the receiving and supply position of the second conveyor, and respectively the receiving and transfer position of the overturning member, and independent drive means electrically connected to the electro-sensitive means associated with said overturning member for operating said fourth conveyor.

3. A supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the overturning member comprises a rotatable head provided with at least two seating means for carrying a cigarette container at opposed positions including said receiving and transfer position for said containers and said unloading position for the cigarettes from said containers into the hopper of the condi' tioning machine, and wherein said electro-sensitive means for detecting the end of the unloading operation for the unloading container is for cyclically controlling the rotation of said rotatable head so as to switch the respective seating means from one to another of said opposed positions, wherein said first, second and third conveyors are of the endless transport surface type and include means for moving said conveyors intermittently, and said fourth conveyor is of the vertical elevator type and includes means for moving said fourth conveyor reciprocably between a lower receiving position and an upper transfer position, the transfer position from the first supply conveyor, the receiving and supply position of the second store conveyor and the lower receiving position of the fourth vertical elevator conveyor being respectively horizontally juxtaposed and aligned to one another and to the receiving and transfer seating means of the rotatable head at a level vertically lower than the latter, wherein said fourth conveyor has a sliding and transfer surface, whereas the upper supply position of said vertical elevator conveyor and the receiving position of the third discharging conveyor for empty containers, as well as said sliding and transfer surface associated with said vertical elevator conveyor are, respectively, for the lower and upper positions of said vertical elevator conveyor, horizontally juxtaposed and aligned to one another and at the same level as said receiving and transfer seating means of said rotatable head; said pusher means comprises a first pusher, reciprocable with an outward movement from said transfer position of the first supply conveyor to the receiving and supply position of the second conveyor with a dwell at this position and from this swell position to the lower receiving position of the fourth vertical elevator conveyor, and a back movement to the original position, and a second pusher, also receiprocable with an outward movement from the receiving position of the third discharging conveyor for empty containers to the upper transfer or supply position of the vertical elevator conveyor pushers for being abutted by said pushers so as to break the supply circuit of the respective operating drive means,

stopping the movement of said pushers at said respective positions.

* 0' l I I 

1. An apparatus for supplying cigarette containers to the loading mechanism for hoppers of cigarette packaging-conditioning machines said mechanism comprising an overturning member including means for repeatedly receiving and carrying a cigarette container from a receiving and transferring position thereof to a cigarette unloading position at said hoppers to unload said cigarettes into said hoppers, and electro-sensitive means for detecting the end of an unloading operation and for cyclically controlling the repetition of said operations of said overturning member, said electro-sensitive means including a first continuous supply conveyor for successively carrying cigarette containers from a transfer position thereof to said receiving and transfer position of said overturning member, a second continuous conveyor defining a receiving and supply position between said transfer position from the first continuous supply conveyor and said receiving and transfer position of the overturning member, a third continuous conveyor for empty containers defining a receiving position of said empty containers from said receiving and transfer position of the overturning member, motor means electrically connected to said electrosensitive means associated with said overturning member for independently operating said first, second and third conveyors, and pusher means also connected to said electro-sensitive means associated with the overturninG member for successively transferring containers from said transfer position of the first supply conveyor to the receiving position of the overturning member when the conditioning machine is running, and to the receiving and supply position of the second conveyor for storing when the conditioning machine is not running, and respectively, with the conditioning machine running, from the supply position of said second conveyor to the receiving position of said overturning member, in a case where there are no containers at said transfer position of said first conveyor, and from said receiving and transfer position of the overturning member to the receiving position of the third conveyor for unloading the empty containers.
 2. A supply apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a fourth conveyor located between the transfer position from the first supply conveyor and the receiving and supply position of the second conveyor, and respectively the receiving and transfer position of the overturning member, and independent drive means electrically connected to the electro-sensitive means associated with said overturning member for operating said fourth conveyor.
 3. A supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the overturning member comprises a rotatable head provided with at least two seating means for carrying a cigarette container at opposed positions including said receiving and transfer position for said containers and said unloading position for the cigarettes from said containers into the hopper of the conditioning machine, and wherein said electro-sensitive means for detecting the end of the unloading operation for the unloading container is for cyclically controlling the rotation of said rotatable head so as to switch the respective seating means from one to another of said opposed positions, wherein said first, second and third conveyors are of the endless transport surface type and include means for moving said conveyors intermittently, and said fourth conveyor is of the vertical elevator type and includes means for moving said fourth conveyor reciprocably between a lower receiving position and an upper transfer position, the transfer position from the first supply conveyor, the receiving and supply position of the second store conveyor and the lower receiving position of the fourth vertical elevator conveyor being respectively horizontally juxtaposed and aligned to one another and to the receiving and transfer seating means of the rotatable head at a level vertically lower than the latter, wherein said fourth conveyor has a sliding and transfer surface, whereas the upper supply position of said vertical elevator conveyor and the receiving position of the third discharging conveyor for empty containers, as well as said sliding and transfer surface associated with said vertical elevator conveyor are, respectively, for the lower and upper positions of said vertical elevator conveyor, horizontally juxtaposed and aligned to one another and at the same level as said receiving and transfer seating means of said rotatable head; said pusher means comprises a first pusher, reciprocable with an outward movement from said transfer position of the first supply conveyor to the receiving and supply position of the second conveyor with a dwell at this position and from this swell position to the lower receiving position of the fourth vertical elevator conveyor, and a back movement to the original position, and a second pusher, also receiprocable with an outward movement from the receiving position of the third discharging conveyor for empty containers to the upper transfer or supply position of the vertical elevator conveyor with a dwell at this position and from this dwell position to the receiving and transfer position of the rotatable head with a dwell also at this second position, and a back movement to the original position, limit microswitch means electrica-ly associated with the drive means for operating said first and second pushers and positioned at dwell positions of the pushers for Being abutted by said pushers so as to break the supply circuit of the respective operating drive means, stopping the movement of said pushers at said respective positions. 